June 14th, 2003: Los Angeles at New York

Los Angeles Sparks 67, New York Liberty 60

Diana Taurasi is quoted, the Game Notes are not amused, and scales are called into question.


Well, to quote a young hoops legend: “Bull---- motherf-----!” I was impossibly giddy going into this; I had finally accomplished a couple of my ‘graph goals before tip-off, and I figured that I knew how this script was supposed to go: undefeated defending WNBA champion comes into the arena of the team they beat to *be* defending champ. Previously defeated team digs deep inside and comes up with the game of its life to give defending champ a good solid reality check. Apparently no one got the script.

This was ugly. The Liberty couldn’t buy a basket for the beginning of the game. Their defense was good, I liked that. But their offense sucked. Too many outside shots while La Leslie got layups inside.

Paging Tamika Whitmore’s game. Would Tamika Whitmore’s game PLEASE report to the Garden sometime before July? We needed her to be big today (okay, I needed her to be big today, she’s on my VGM because I had faith) and she was minuscule.

What the hell happened to Elena? She’s regressed big time! Meanwhile, Fröhlich didn’t even get unstuck from the bench today. I don’t know how much good she would have done, but a different look might have confused the Sparks long enough for the Liberty to get something going.

Memo to Spoon: it’s called a lay-UP, not a lay-across. I think I had more vertical than that.

If Rhonda Mapp is 6-2, 190 and Jennifer Gillom is 6-3, 180, I want that scale. Mapp and Miko supposedly measure and weigh the same, but I saw the two of them next to each other and Mapp had waaaaaay more weight on her. Likewise Grandmama, unless purple just isn’t her color.

Bad coaching by Richie at the end of the game. Why send in Spoon for Becky when you need points? And why get it to Miko and let her drive?

If I talk about the appalling, shitty-ass, awful, embarrassing refereeing, I might kill someone. The only positive thing I can think to say about it was that it was even-handedly awful, more or less; we got in some good hits on them. But Crystal got mugged so many times that it was painful (though I’m sure she might be more colorful about it).

Unwanted Midriff Sightings included Crystal, Miko, and VJ.

What am I going to do with a jersey for a water bottle? I don’t even use a water bottle! I missed the halftime entertainment, but you know, I’m not really all that heartbroken. I can’t imagine why. I think Linda and Becky have declared war on each other through the Liberty ad-libs; those questions are much more amusing this year.

Still, after all’s said and done, I think Diana was on to something. This was a BSMF if ever I saw one.